Foot guard



Nov. 4.; 1930. J, 'BRADFORD ET AL l 1,780,331

FOOT GUARD Filed NOV. 14 1929 gwuantom Patented Nov. 4, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE room GUARD Application led November 14, 1929. Serial No. 407,225.

This invention relates to foot guards, and more particularly to foot guards for use in connection with railroad tracks.

The object of the'invention is to provide a foot guard of an improved and simplified structure, adaptable to use in railway switches, and between closely adjacent rails, and which is cheap to manufacture,` easy to ap )ly and dependable in operation.

ne sheet of drawings accompanies this spescification as part thereof, in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout. y

Figure l is a fragmentary plan view of a railway switch, showing the improved foot guard in position, parts being broken away;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 2 2 of Figure l; y

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a perspective View of the improved foot guard 'removed from the rails.

In accordance with the present invention,

' the improved foot guard is constructed in the form of a substantially rectangular plate 7, having laterally projecting lugs 8 at each corner; each of these lugs having its upper and outer edge slightly rounded to conform with the inner rail contour between theweb and the tread of the rail.

In the drawings, 1 1 represents rails of Y common form, each having tread parts 2 2.

4 indicates fish plates, such as commonly used for joining adjacent sections of rails'. 5 indicates bolts, which,in conjunction with nuts 6, are used to secure the sh plates to the web of the rail.

The improved foot Vguard is, preferably, constructed so that the distance, between the lugs 8 on each side of the main plate 7, is substantially the length of the ordinary fish plate, and so that the lugs 8 will embrace the ends of the fish plate. v

The `foot guard is applied between the rails, so that the body of the plate 7 will rest on the nuts 6, securing the fish plates to the rails, andv so thatv the lugs 8 8 will fit in under the tread and in snug contact with the under surface of the tread and the web of the rail, as is Well illustrated in Figure 2.

It will be apparent that the lugs 8 will function to prevent longitudinal movement of the foot guard, and that in the event there are only fish plates on one rail, they will serve as leversin conjunction with the nuts 6 as fulcrurns, to adequately support the guard on one side only. Where there are fish plates on both rails, the guard will be conlipletely supported by the nuts 6 on each rai l Having thus fully described ourv invention, what we claim is:

l. A foot guard of the type indicated comprising a substantially rectangular plate having outwardly laterally directed lugs positioned on one side and adjacent each end.

2. In combination with railroad rails in a switch and fish plates joining parts of rails together, said fish plates secured on opposite sides of the rail parts by bolts extending therethrough, a foot guard comprising Ia substantially rectangular plate having outwardlydirectedlugs positioned on one side and adjacent each end, said lugs spaced apart the length of the inner fish plate to embrace the same and extend under the tread of the rail, and said plate adapted to rest onthe bolts securing the fish plate intermediate said lugs.

3. In combination, a rail having a tread and flange part, a fish plate secured by bolts against the flange, and a Vsubstantially rectangular plate having outwardly directed lugs positioned on one side and adjacent each end, spaced apart the length of the fish plate and adapted to embrace said plate and bear against the under face ofthe rail tread, said plate bearing against the bolts intermediate said lugs as specified.

In testimony whereof we aiiiX our signatures. JEFFERSON BRADFORD. CHARLESV B. PEOPLES. 

